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Have you ever wondered what it's like to be on the front lines of a pandemic? In this article, we delve into the heart of the COVID-19 crisis, exploring the challenges faced by healthcare workers and epidemiologists. We asked Valerie Waters, an emergency room nurse practitioner, and Arti Virkud, a doctoral student in epidemiology, to share their experiences and insights. Here's what they had to say.
Valerie Waters has seen the pandemic's impact firsthand. "Things are changing day-to-day," she notes. "One of the biggest things was there were not enough tests. So, initially, we were following very strict protocols on who to test and who not to test." This meant turning away patients who likely had COVID-19 but couldn't be tested, a difficult and heart-wrenching experience for healthcare workers.
The hospital has also changed its operations to adapt to the pandemic. Enter the "COVID tent," a triage area outside the waiting room to keep infectious patients isolated. "It's so different than normal," Waters says, highlighting the innovative measures taken to ensure patient and staff safety.
Arti Virkud offers a broader view of the pandemic. As an epidemiologist, she's interested in the disease's spread, causes, and prevention. "Epidemiology is about the 'how, when, where' of the disease," she explains. Her work involves studying the effectiveness of treatments and public policies, such as social distancing, which have been crucial in managing the pandemic.
Virkud also shares the origin of epidemiology, dating back to John Snow's work during the 1800s, which revolutionized our understanding of disease spread.
Both Waters and Virkud discuss the similarities and differences between COVID-19 and influenza. While both diseases can make you feel terrible, COVID-19 is an emerging pathogen, affecting the entire population, whereas the flu is seasonal and affects a portion of the population that has already been exposed.
The effectiveness of vaccines is also a topic of interest. With the flu, we have measures in place, such as the flu shot and handwashing education. However, the trust in vaccines could be challenged if the COVID-19 vaccine is not as effective as hoped.
The pandemic has been marked by changing information and the availability of it. Virkud explains the importance of understanding the accuracy of tests and the total number of cases. "The quality of the tests might be variable," she notes, which affects our understanding of the pandemic's scope.
Waters and Virkud both emphasize the personal impact of the pandemic. Waters shares the challenges of working in a hospital during the pandemic, while Virkud reflects on the broader implications of the disease and the cultural shifts it may bring.
As we navigate this unprecedented time, Waters and Virkud urge the public to take quarantine seriously and to continue practicing social distancing. "Stay safe, stay healthy, continue to learn, and happy physics thing," Waters concludes.
Stay tuned for more insights and stories from the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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